The Days are Few

Love the Modern Buildings

 

Dusseldorf

 Tuesday April 26: Elke came and got me from Monchengladbach and we drove to Dusseldorf to visit and to see her brother. This was where she grew up. The city gave a very nice impression; situated along the Rhein; there was a good mix of new and old buildings and it’s very cultured. We passed the Konigshalle which is all the rich and famous stores; Prada, Burberry, Versace. We walked along the Rhein and then weaved in and out through the streets. We stopped at this fish restaurant to have some lunch. Ohh what a lovely choice! I  had herring served with potatoes with a creamy dill and mustard sauce. It was delightful! Have to make sure the Chef does a dish like this at work. We both had Dusseldorf’s dark ale (which the people from Koln make fun of...even in their Karnival songs). It was a little too bitter tasting for my liking. After passing the Dusseldorfer Marionette Theatre we arrived at the Robert & Clara Schumann Haal. It was a small room with chairs, a piano and many plaques from Schumann.  There was this woman in there and so we sat down and she talked about their life there.She didn’t speak any English so I just sat and listened and believe it or not I could understand most of all she said! Either she was picking really simple words or I may actually learned something!  Robert and Clara Schumann lived here in the Carlstadt district from 1850 until 1854 and contributed with their work to the Dusseldorf’s fames as a music city. The husband and wife worked together to compose great music; Robert the composer and Clara the pianist who performed. Composer Brahms even was a close friend of the family and it is said that him and Clara may have had an affair. It was here in Dusseldorf that Robert Schumann tried to commit suicide in the Rhein and then was sent to the Mental Hospital in Endenich, Bonn (which I had mentioned earlier in my posts). After, the woman seemed very interested in me (maybe my age and visiting there) and then she gave me two copies of Schumann’s Die Orange und Myrthe hier  piano music for free as a souvenir, so that was incredibly kind of her.  Following, we drove to Elke’s brothers, where I met some more of her family although there wasn’t a whole lot English so I just sat and listened.



What?! Is this for real! Shiny!



Jan Wellem Standbild Statue and Rathaus



Dusseldorf Treasures



  

Burgplatz; Famous Cartwheeler



Having a lovely Fisch Lunch and an Alt



  

Robert & Clara Schumann



Robert & Clara Schumann Haal





Schneider-Wibbel; Tailor; Touch Him for Good Luck





St. Andreas Kirsche





Ladies in Waiting



Wednesday April 27: Really raining today; decided for the first time to take the bus to school. It was my last day of school today; can’t believe it; it does not seem right at all. And why, when I leave do all these nice new people come; like last week that music student from Japan and today I was shocked to see a good looking guy with Ray Ban glasses and is from Spain. Just my luck. Oh well, can’t really do much about it; I’m not really thinking deciding to live here full time would be the wisest spur of the moment decision.  Well planning for a trip is not the easiest for me; making up my mind has not been my strong point. For trip to London (form April 30^th-May 5^th), I’ve got in my brain that I should spend the first bit in Liverpool and do a wondrous Beatles tour,  would be the best thing ever since it’s their hometown and would have everything! But planning, cost of trains and tours, and most of all time, has been crushed me to a realization that maybe I’m just being greedy and should just take the little time I have in the UK and stay in London. Plus I have got accommodation looked out for at a family friends. Problem is now is to ignore the guilt if not going. Well there is the 11 BEATLEful days  Magical Mystery Tour that’s happening on August 19^th to August 31^st. So many things I need to see and do!  And now I am starting to pack everything up. It looks like hurricane went through the room. But I need to have everything out of the room buy May 1^st and I won’t be there so I have to have it done before I go.

 

Thursday April 28: Well I decided to go to class one more day. So I had lots of candy for them and had given some Canadian Souvenirs like pins and key chains. I gave Gloria a book of Canady and she was so grateful. I left early because I was expecting a call at Elke’s from my dad’s airplane client because we had been planning for him to come pick me up and fly me around to do some sightseeing. They were going to pick me up in Nordon and take me to the Island they have a cottage on which 100% car free (except for an emergency vehicle), everything else is either horse, bike or boat, although I did not get the message because of no internet access L Oh, well next right. When he called though, we came to the conclusion that there was not enough time left plus the weather here is bad. Though, Research, Research, Research; I’m not used to all of this! And I’m not good at making decisions so I’m looking at sites for hours because one leads to the other. Some highlights are; Big Bus Tours, Beatles Tours, London Beatles Walks, Guide To London, and LondonNet. Only a couple days left before London and I am scrambling. I’m just trying to figure out the first full day I’m there (Sunday). My flight doesn’t come in till later so I don’t have any plans; just get settled in. My time is kind of a bad time to come for the family friends for some are on holiday and one is in the middle of Exams so I don’t think she’ll have time to take me sightseeing so prepared to be on my own again. Though I just found an interesting fact; Matthew Fox (plays Jack in LOST) will be in London the time I’m there because he is in this new play called Neil LaBute in the west End!



Roll Up To The Magical Mystery Tour